Sweet Nothings (2)

Spoiler Warning!!

Read only after finishing the First Arc of 'Unwilling Death, Reclaiming Dignity'!

Chopsticks softly clinked against dishes as the three very well-built men sat around the rather small dinner table. The atmosphere was almost family-like, with Suan Bi and Jing Jiang sitting on either side of Jing Hai, while they quietly ate.

Occasionally, Jing Hai would put a few pieces of meat in his son's bowl. Embarrassed, Jing Jiang quickly gobbled down those pieces, but this only prompted Jing Hai to keep going. In the end, Jing Jiang couldn't prevent Suan Bi from taking notice and his friend grinned silently every time it happened, suppressing a chuckle, leaving Jing Jiang to blush slightly.

But although Jing Jiang was embarrassed, he still felt very happy and continued to endure this torture until the end of dinner, sneaking a glance at Suan Bi's sharp-cut, handsome face several times throughout.

When all of them had finally finished eating, Jing Jiang quickly opened his mouth and almost shouted: " You can go rest, Father. Suan Bi and I will clean up!"

Despite his son's loud and brisk offer that was more like a command, Jing Hai only raised a brow in response, amused by his son's usual antics, ultimately agreeing, bidding them goodnight with a deliberately helpless face. Before he closed the door entirely though, Jing Hai shot Suan Bi a short indiscernible look.

Suan Bi calmly returned the glance but it still left Jing Jiang feeling embarrassed once more, as he ran over and hurriedly shut the door.

"Ahem...let's go."

Jing Jiang quickly walked over to the table after clearing his throat, ignoring the soft laugh from behind the door to the best of his ability, and began picking up the different plates and bowls. Suan Bi also joined him after spending a moment grinning teasingly at Jing Jiang.

Together, the two of them were able to tidy up the entire kitchen in less than half an hour, but the entire time Jing Jiang was too nervous to say anything, only scrubbing away at the pans and pots in front of him.

When did his crush become so bad? He can't even talk normally with the other anymore!

He desperately complained in his heart, unable to find any kind of topic to talk about with Suan Bi standing barely a meter away, the two of them being the only people still awake in the entire forge, or at least Jing Jiang hoped so.

Over the years, Suan Bi had eaten dinner with them several times after Jing Jiang befriended him and found out that the other was living in Dark Spirit Town all alone, deepening their relationship even further.

And that's all there was between them a simple friendship, but over four years Jing Jiang's feelings just grew and grew, and it was safe to say that he was falling harder and harder for Suan Bi. Thinking back, maybe it was their friendship that also added to why Jing Jiang put even more effort into working at the forge and didn't give up halfway...

"By the way, how is your training going, Jing Jiang? There are only three days left until the competition after all."

Suan Bi's question quickly brought Jing Jiang back to reality and he looked up from the plate that he had been thoroughly cleaning for the last minute, handing it to Suan Bi with an embarrassed smile before responding.

"Pretty alright, I would say. My father and I have worked together several times before so there shouldn't be a problem at the competition."

Wiping the plate Jing Jiang had handed over, Suan Bi let out a small yearning sigh.

"I really envy you, after you win, the entire Dark Spirit Town will know your name. Then your career will be as good as set, especially after successfully creating a fourth-rank artifact..."

Jing Jiang hurriedly glanced at the door hearing Suan Bi's last words, before facing Suan Bi with an accusing light in his eyes. Suan Bi's lips already stretched into an apologetic smile.

"Sorry...", Suan Bi whispered while looking directly into Jing Jiang's eyes, causing Jing Jiang's heart to skip a beat.

"...it's fine," Jing Jiang relented, turning his face away to conceal the blush climbing to his cheeks, "But you better not have told anyone else..."

Suan Bi quickly shook his head, a conspiring smile on his face as he whispered once more.

"Of course not, I know that's a secret only between the two of us."

Jing Jiang turned even redder hearing this.

"Still, you are really lucky, I would do anything for such an opportunity," Suan Bi said, setting the plate aside and hanging the drying rag over the edge of a chair before sitting down himself, sighing deeply once more.

Jing Jiang also dried his hands on the sides of his robes and joined Suan Bi, his face worried.

"Is there really something wrong?"

Suan Bi had his eyes squeezed shut as Jing Jiang asked this, gently massaging them with one hand, only now did Jing Jiang realize how dark the other's eyebags were.

Seeing Suan Bi like this, he looked even more exhausted, and it caused Jing Jiang's heart to sting.

"To be honest, I'm having some money problems... the loan I took when I just moved to Dark Spirit Town is coming back to haunt me and I can only barely afford to return the amount I got that year, but there is still the interest..."

The more Suan Bi talked the more shock and worry appeared on Jing Jiang's face.

"That sounds horrible, why didn't you tell me sooner?! Maybe we can ask my father to lend you the money? Or we can persuade them to give you more time? Or-"

Suan Bi cut Jing Jiang off with a wave of his hand.

"No, I can't do that, they won't accept that, also it's my debt to settle not yours...", Suan Bi flashed Jing Jiang a smile that looked so pitiful, it only made his heart hurt even more, "Don't worry too much, I will get through this somehow... it's just that I can't help thinking how much easier it would be if I was an official Artificer or even Craftsman, you know much much bigger their salary is..."

Suan Bi sunk deeper into the chair after he finished speaking, covering his eyes with the back of his arm, as if to hide the tears threatening to spill from the corners of his eyes, looking utterly defeated.

Unable to bear this sight any longer and desperate to help Suan Bi in any way, Jing Jiang tried as hard as he could to come up with some other options to help the other.

"How about I ask my father to promote you? Maybe he will consider it?"

As these words spilled out from Jing Jiang's mouth, he already knew that this was wishful thinking. In the matter of artifact creation, unless his father felt that you were all around ready for it, he wouldn't promote you, no amount of begging would change that, not even Jing Jiang received special treatment in that matter.

Suan Bi was also just about to shake his head, still covering his eyes, and faced with no other option Jing Jiang gave one more proposal.

"Then what if I withdraw from the competition and you go instead? We are around the same skill level and you have worked together with my father before. In that way, even if you don't get promoted, you will get the prize money and recognition."

The Suan Bi froze at these words, lifting his arm away to stare directly at Jing Jiang with wide eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Jing Jiang nodded quickly, still caught up in his rushing emotions and thoughts, his heart beating fast in his chest.

Even before Jing Jiang could say anything else, Suan Bi abruptly sprung up from his seat and stepped forward, toward the sitting Jing Jiang before wrapping his muscular arms around the other in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much, Jing Jiang. I wouldn't know what to do without you!"

Shocked by the sudden hug, it took Jing Jiang a moment to react but he soon turned beet-red, his heartbeat accelerating even further, even his ears turning red after he felt Suan Bi's hot breath blow over his nape.

He was just about to raise his arms and reciprocate the hug when Suan Bi already pulled away again, a wide, thankful smile on his face.

"I'm so glad you and I are friends!"

These friendly words sounded more disheartening to Jing Jiang's ears than anything, and he disappointedly dropped his arms, forcing a wry smile on his lips.

"Me too..."

Suan Bi laughed happily but stopped when he glanced out the window and realized how late it had already become.

"Oh! Seems like I have to go now..., Good Night, Jing Jiang, and thank you again!"

With that Suan Bi quickly walked over to the door, leaving Jing Jiang to stare in surprise. When Suan Bi had already one foot out of the living room, Jing Jiang hurriedly called out to stop the other.

"Do you really need to leave? It's dangerous outside at night... You can just sleep here?"

But Suan Bi only slightly turned his head and flashed Jing Jiang a strange smile.

"I'm sorry, I can't. See you tomorrow!"